Hardware Zone! News and Review

1.» LG XPION A10 designer PC

2008-09-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

(September 2007)

Korean manufacturer are really working hard nowadays to provide us computer with a "different" look, and today again they are proving us that Apple is not the only manufacturer on the market which has taste. Behold the new XPION A10 series which is mainly composed of the PC tower and keyboard (the LX97WH flat screen is sold separately). Available in 3 different colors with the Snow White, Fantasy Red and Silky Black, our A10 are powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo E4400, 2GB of RAM, a GeForce 8500GT with 512MB of VRAM, 320GB of HDD (SATA). The last main point to remember on this A10 series is the 9cm thickness of the case.

Link: LG XPION A10 PC

Reference: akihabaranews

2. » Asus Silent Knight II CPU Cooler for Quad-Core Processors (September 2007) Asus Silent Knight II CPU Cooler Catering to users who require a ef

2008-09-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

» Asus Silent Knight II CPU Cooler for Quad-Core Processors

(September 2007)

Catering to users who require a efficient way to keep CPU temperatures cool, Asus announced the Silent Knight II CPU cooler that utilizes 100% copper for its fins, base and heat pipes; and dynamic fan speed control to deliver efficient heat dissipation for the latest quad-core processors. The Silent Knight II offers quiet performance and a unique design that includes a blue LED for a peaceful computing environment as well as a stylish system interior. With its large heat exchange area, lightweight design to relieve stress on the motherboard, and six curved heat pipes to efficiently transfer heat to the fins, processor temperature is always maintained at levels most suitable for high-performance and reliable computing. Additionally, the Silent Knight II also incorporates a PWM function fan that automatically modulates fan speeds according to the CPU temperature and delivers a quiet cooling at a mere 25dBA.

The voltage regulation shield inside the Asus Silent Knight II CPU Cooler directs airflow created by the 9cm LED fan to surrounding VRM (voltage regulation modules) that are critical to processor operations and overall system reliability. This unique design effectively reduces VRM temperature by 10-15°C – allowing for smooth and stable operations. The Asus Silent Knight II supports the Intel’s Core 2 Extreme series, Pentium D Dual-Core CPU, Pentium 4 LGA775 processors; as well as the AMD’s Socket AM2/940/939/754, Athlon 64-FX, Athlon and Sempron processors – making it ready for the latest and most powerful computing platforms in the market today. Asus Silent Knight II CPU Cooler measures 92 x 92 x 25mm.

Link: Asus Silent Knight II CPU Cooler

By: fareastgizmos

3.» Seagate Maxtor OneTouch 4 Hard Disk Drive

2008-09-03T23:01:00.000-07:00

Seagate introduced the next generation of its Maxtor OneTouch storage solutions: the new Maxtor OneTouch 4 family is available in three models and storage capacities of up to 1TB and offers new data protection and security along with software tools to help manage content and data in a new industrial design. Seagate's new drives are now bundled with improved software for performing multiple-computer data synchronization, drag-and-drop encryption and a "bare metal system" restore. In the event of a fatal crash or virus attack, Maxtor's new (Windows-only) SafetyDrill restore feature enables the nearly instantaneous restoration of an entire computer, according to the company. The external drives feature USB 2.0 connectivity, 7,200 rpm disks, and 16MB of cache.

In addition to the Maxtor Backup software suite, the Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus and Maxtor OneTouch 4 Mini both include Maxtor SafetyDrill for Microsoft Windows XP/Vista: it allows the complete recovery of a local hard drive's contents using the included SafetyDrill Recovery CD to format, partition and restore all data including the operating system, applications, personal content, settings and desktop icons. The Plus and Mini storage solutions include two levels of security to guard against unauthorized use of a lost or stolen drive: Maxtor Encryption can create a password-protected folder using transparent 256-bit AES encryption to protect any data dropped onto folder. The company also includes Maxtor DrivePass (formerly Maxtor DriveLock), an embedded firmware feature that further restricts data access even if the internal hard drive is removed and attached to another computer.

Seagate said that all three OneTouch 4 drive lines also include new enhanced synchronization functions to help business travelers sync home and office computers. A new Maxtor OneTouch Manager centralizes feature management, including automated backup scheduling, specific file restoration, sync, security, drive and power management on computers running either Windows XP/Vista or Mac OS X operating systems.

The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus sports a new vault-like industrial design and both USB 2.0 and FireWire ports. It is available in 250GB ($130), 500GB ($200), and 750GB ($290) capacities now and will be available in a 1TB model ($360) in late October. The more compact and "travel friendly" designed Maxtor OneTouch 4 Mini -- with only USB 2.0 connectivity -- is available in 80GB ($100), 120GB ($120), and 160GB ($150) capacities. The basic Maxtor OneTouch 4 offers data backup file archiving and system settings restoral, but does not include SafetyDrill and the security features of the Plus and Mini lines. It is available in three capacities: $100 for 250GB, $170 for 500GB, and $270 for 750GB model. All drives ship with a 5-year warranty.

Link: Seagate Maxtor OneTouch Hard Disk Drive

Reference: electronista

4.» ASUS P5NT WS Nvidia Quadro Certified

2008-09-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

» ASUS P5NT WS Nvidia Quadro Certified

(September 2007)

The Asus P5NT WS Motherboard is built on the Nvidia nForce 680i LT SLI chipset structure which supports a LGA775 Socket for running Intel Dual-core /Quad-core CPUs and two Nvidia SLI graphic cards with Dual x16 speeds on the same platform. The Asus P5NT WS is also fitted with solid state capacitors and a conductive polymer that creates the perfect system stability. These high quality materials also help ensure that the motherboard will have a longer product lifetime.

The innovative Heat-pipe Thermal design of the Asus P5NT WS motherboard effectively directs the heat generated by the chipsets to the heatsink near the back IO ports – where it can be dissipated by existing airflow from the CPU fan or optional fans. With AI Nap, users can instantly snooze the PC without terminating any tasks. The system will continue operating at minimum power and noise till reawakened.

Link: ASUS P5NT WS Nvidia Quadro Certified

By: fareastgizmos

4.MSI K9NU Speedster server board and K1-106 rack server

2008-09-03T22:59:00.000-07:00

» MSI K9NU Speedster server board and K1-106 rack server

(September 2007)

MSI announced the launch of motherboards K9NU-Speedster and server barebones K1-106 series supporting AMD Quad-Core Opteron. Coupled with NVIDIA nForce 3400 chipset, MSI K9NU-Speedster Series motherboards and K1-106 Series server barebones focusing on entry server market support single AMD Opteron 2200 series quad-core processor. K9NU-Speedster Series and K1-106 Series provide eight DIMM supporting maximum 32GB registered ECC DDR2-533/667 memory combined with higher frequency bus for more bandwidth, performance of system boosts. In addition, high performance XGI Volari Z7 graphic processor with 16MB video memory can meet users’ need without adding another discrete graphic adapter. For topless graphic performance, K9NU-Speedster Series and K1-106 Series provide two PCI-E x16 slot supporting NVIDIA SLI technology for future expansion.

MSI K9NU-Speedster Series and K1-106 Series provide six SATA II ports with RAID 0/1/0+1/5 mode for more efficient data processing, higher transfer performance, and much secure data integrity. Two PCI-E x1 slot and one 32bit PCI slot enjoy the advantage on expansion for future growth. K9NU-Speedster Series and K1-106 Series introduce latest heatpipe thermal solution. Compared with independent big heat-sinks or fans, heatpipe enjoys better performance, stability and space-save. Consequently, heatpipe can extend product life and avoid overheat.

Link: MSI K9NU Speedster server board and K1-106 rack server

By: fareastgizmos

5.» LaCie 2big Triple designed by Neil Poulton

2008-09-03T22:58:00.002-07:00

» LaCie 2big Triple designed by Neil Poulton

(September 2007)

LaCie announced that it is now shipping the 2big Triple, a full-featured three-interface, two-disk RAID device (FireWire 800, FireWire 400 and Hi-Speed USB 2.0). The 2big Triple connects “everywhere” and is ideal for small and home office professionals needing performance and security, especially digital editing and graphic design. Offered in 1, 1.5 and 2 terabyte versions, the LaCie 2big Triple was created for LaCie by Neil Poulton and features an attractive new natural cooling heat sink metal design with a thermo regulated progressive smart fan to ensure long-lasting reliability and quiet operation. The LaCie 2big Triple can be rackmounted, placed horizontally, or stood vertically to conform to any office environment.

Neil Poulton designs and develops best-selling, award-winning products for a variety of international clients including LaCie & Artemide. Since 1991, Poulton has lived and worked in Paris, France.The LaCie 2big Triple is available in October from LaCie direct and widely available via LaCie’s specialized dealer network at the suggested retail price starting at $399.

Link: LaCie 2big Triple designed by Neil Poulton

By: fareastgizmos

6.» Sharp develops world's thinnest mobile LCD screen

2008-09-03T22:58:00.001-07:00

» Sharp develops world's thinnest mobile LCD screen

(October 2007)

Sharp has successfully developed a 2.2-inch super-thin LCD for mobile devices with a thickness of only 0.68 mm-worlds thinnest. The new Sharp Mobile Advanced Super View LCD with a thickness of only 0.68 mm is based on proprietary Sharp fabrication techniques for thin LCDs, in particular, glass substrate and backlight technologies. This new Mobile Advanced Super View LCD delivers superior image quality approaching that of an LCD TV thanks to a high contrast ratio of 2000:1, wide viewing angle of 176°, and fast response speed of 8 ms, which are among the highest levels in the industry. Mobile devices such as mobile phones and digital cameras are rapidly becoming thinner as manufacturers strive to improve portability and offer consumers more stylish designs. As a result, thinner embedded components such as LCDs are also increasing in demand.

The increase in demand for One-Seg (terrestrial digital broadcast) compatible handsets is leading to demands for greater visibility and higher image quality in displays intended for mobile devices. Sharp Mobile Advanced Super View LCD will be exhibited at FPD International 2007 to be held at Pacifico Yokohama on October 24 to 26.

Link: Sharp develops world's thinnest mobile LCD screen

By: fareastgizmos

7.» NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT

2008-09-03T22:53:00.000-07:00

» NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT

(October 2007)

The Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT is Specifically developed to answer enthusiast gamers’ demand for high-performing graphics at the $199 to $259 price point, GeForce 8800 GT offers a hyper-reactive, intensely robust gaming experience for the latest next-generation DirectX 10 games, such as Crysis, Hellgate: London, and Gears of War, as well as full support for current DirectX 9 games. The GeForce 8800 GT also marries the best-in-gaming with the best-in-HD. It leverages NVIDIA’s revolutionary second-generation video processing engine to deliver high-quality playback of HD DVD and Blu-ray movies on everyday PCs.

The new programmable video processing engine takes on all of the high definition H.264 video decoding, freeing the CPU to perform other tasks and significantly reducing power consumption, heat, and noise. GeForce 8800 GT-based graphics cards are available now from leading add-in card manufacturers, retailers, and system builders.

Link: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT

By: fareastgizmos